This is NOT to slate John because I expect that he was simply using
"dyslexics" as a shorthand but I think that the point being made was
that the use of terms such as "dyslexics", "schizophrenics",
"paraplegics" etc is offensive to many groups of disabled people because
it is not in line with the social model of disability. Disabled people
are more than their medical condition and the disabled people's movement
rejects labelling by impairment only. Individuals may of course express
an individual preference, thus one student may wish to be called "a
dyslexic student", another may prefer "student with dyslexia" and a
third might choose "disabled student" but this individual preference,
which should be respected, is a different point from the choice of
language in general and how language can be taken as an indicator of our
underlying attitudes and beliefs.
ATB
Claire
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of swift
Sent: 22 January 2009 16:43
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Exams - room issues
It is definitely something that varies from student to student...so
generalisations are indeed difficult. I don't think that anyone can say
'most students from group x will be offended by description y', unless
'description y' is something unprintable.
Personally I believe the felt meaning behind the description has more
weight than the actual description.
2009/1/22 John Conway <[log in to unmask]>:
> I certainly try - but it is confusing to know what is currently in
> vogue and whether there is an accepted convention. Do I say
> "dyslexics" "dyslexic students" "students with dyslexia" ??? I've
> seen all used and all criticised in turn.
>
>
>
> Certainly there is no offence intended as I am referring to 20% of our
> student body and as a full time lecturer I work with many of these
> students on an almost daily basis in lectures, tutorials, practical
> classes etc. and many are good friends. In fact they voted me an
> honorary D??? (whatever word / phrase I am allowed to use) last year
> for my passionate recognition of them!
>
>
>
> John
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Elaine Shillcock
> Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 9:47 AM
>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Exams - room issues
>
>
>
> John - please can you be careful about the language you use.
> Describing groups of disabled people according to a 'condition' is not
> good practice and is often offensive to the group concerned.
>
>
>
> Erin, in answer to your question - the University of Manchester
provides
> several separate rooms for all students who need extra time. These
are
> organised centrally through the exams office. We also have a
> dedicated post in my team responsible for all the other individual
adjustments, including
> rest breaks, use of PCs or other equipment, scribes etc etc. The
central
> exams office books timetabled rooms for each exam period at the
> beginning of the year (in fact they do it for several years ahead,
> including rooms for our use. Our biggest difficulty is finding enough
> small individual rooms for students needing to use scribes etc.
>
>
>
> Elaine
>
>
>
> **************************************
>
> Elaine Shillcock
> Head of DSO
>
> Tel: 0161 275 7512
> Fax: 0161 275 7018
> Email: [log in to unmask]
> WWW: www.manchester.ac.uk/dso
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Conway
> Sent: 21 January 2009 13:46
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Exams - room issues
>
> We provide a room for all those with extra time - we started this in
> response to a request from the students. It works well, gets the
> dyslexics out of a very large room (200+) into a relatively quiet
> environment (~15) but there is the issue that everyone can see the
> names on a seating plan of who is getting extra time, although it
doesn't say why.
>
>
>
> John
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jackson, Erin
> Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 12:46 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Exams - room issues
>
>
>
> Hello,
>
>
>
> I am looking for other institutions to share experiences of organising
> separate and/or individual exam rooms for disabled/SpLD students.
>
>
>
> We have immense pressure on our rooms across campus. Our schools
> organise individual rooms for those with scribes or who need
> individual invigilation (due to rest breaks), but are not responding
> well to being asked to provide a room separate to the main exam hall
> for those with extra time (but who do not need an individual room).
>
>
>
> My question is: is it acceptable to have those with extra time in the
> main exam hall? I am concerned about the effect on concentration of a
> mass exodus at the end of the non extended exam.
>
>
>
> Advice please!
>
>
>
> Thanks
>
> Erin Jackson
>
> Disability Adviser
> University of Bolton
>
> Tel: 01204 903087
>
> email:[log in to unmask]
>
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